10498: It is permissible to eat ostrich meat if it is slaughtered properly

Is Ostrich meat permissible ?

Published Date: 2001-03-31

Praise be to
Allaah.

Yes, it is permissible to eat ostrich meat, because Allaah
has blessed His slaves by subjugating to them that which is in the heavens
and on earth.

It is difficult to enumerate all the animals that we
are permitted to eat. The basic principle concerning all of them is
that in general they are permissible, except for those which have been
excluded. We may list those which are haraam as follows:

1.
Pigs
– they are haraam according to the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah,
and there is scholarly consensus on this point.

2.
All carnivores
which have fangs, such as lions, tigers, leopards, wolves, dogs, etc.

3.
All birds
which have talons, such as hawks, falcons, vultures, eagles, Indian
falcons, etc.

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade all carnivorous
animals which have fangs and all birds which have talons.

(Narrated by Muslim, 1934)

4.
Domestic
donkeys

It was narrated that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade mut’ah (temporary
marriage) in the year of Khaybar and he forbade the meat of domesticated
donkeys.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5203; Muslim, 1407)

5.
Animals
which we are commanded to kill, such as snakes, scorpions and mice.

6.
Things
which are abominable or repulsive. One of the basic principles concerning
halaal and haraam is paying attention to what is regarded as good and
what is regarded as repulsive. Al-Shafaa’i believed this to be the most
important and most comprehensive principle. The basis for this is the
aayaat (interpretation of the meanings):

“and prohibits them as unlawful Al Khabaa’ith
(i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons
and foods)”

[al-A’raaf 7:157]

“They
ask you (O Muhammad) what is lawful for them (as food ). Say: ‘Lawful
unto you are At Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful good) foods which
Allaah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products,
fats, vegetables and fruits)]’” [ al-Maa’idah 5:4]

On this basis, ostrich meat is permitted beyond any shadow
of a doubt. The fuqaha’ have stated that ostrich meat is permissible
under several subject headings, including:

(a)
al-dhabh
(slaughtering meat): when discussing that which makes the animal more
at ease, they said: it should be cut in the neck if it has a short neck,
and at the point where the neck meets the chest if it has
a long neck, such as a camel, ostrich or goose, because that
makes it easier for the soul to depart.

(b)
The penalty
of hunting by a muhrim (one who is in a state of ihraam for Hajj or
‘umrah). Al-Shaafa'i said: if the muhrim catches an ostrich, then a
sacrifice must be offered for that. (al-Umm, 2/210)

(c)
The permissibility
of different parts of it. Ibn Hazam said: Whoever swears that he will
not eat eggs does not break that vow unless he eats the egg of a chicken
in particular; the vow is not broken by his eating the egg of an ostrich
or any other bird, or fish eggs, because of that which we have mentioned.
This is the view of Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa'i and Abu Sulaymaan. (al-Muhalla,
6/327)

Note:

Al-Fayoomi said:

The word ostrich (na’aamah) applies to both male and
female; the plural is na’aam.(al-Misbaah al-Muneer, p. 615)